Jun 27, 2012

Oh, how they scoffed! Not many thought that I'd succeed when I flew back to Germany last Feb with high hopes of finding work teaching English. But I proved them all wrong, ha! Furthermore, I've come to really enjoy what I do. Of all the jobs I've had in my lifetime, never have any of them felt as rewarding as this. If any of you are interested in teaching English abroad (particularly in Germany), read on...

How to Become an English Teacher in Germany

1. You don't need to secure a job beforehand, just start the hunt asap once you arrive.
2. Put some time into making two kickass resumés: one in English and one in German...
3. ...but make sure you research and implement the form & style of German resumés first!
4. Deliver both resumés to every language school in your city, either in person or via e-mail.
5. If you are a beginner in German, private language schools might be your best bet...

6. ...Why? Because it won't be required as part of your job to speak German fluently.
7. Teaching jobs at tutoring companies usually require you to speak fluent German.
8. Get out there and keep meeting new people! You never know who's connected to who.
9. Scope out the local university for weekly events (e.g. English Meets) you can attend.
10. In the meantime, start learning German! Need I explain why this would be useful?

11. Be persistent but keep your options open. It took me almost 2 months to find work...
12. ...at which point I'd already applied to Plan B jobs: Babysitter, Waitress, Cleaner, etc.
13. It is not necessary to have teaching experience in order to teach English in Germany.
14. Being TEFL\TESOL certified isn't usually necessary in order to nail the job, either.
15. Having said that, any kind of Bachelor's Degree is usually the minimum requirement.

16. At the interview, they want to see that you have a personality that suits teaching.
17. Useful traits to possess: energetic, flexible, creative, fun-loving, open-minded, honest...
18. Shoutouts to Katie and Robyn (two expats living in Germany) for helpin' me out heaps!
19. Stay motivated by the thought that the demand for native English speakers is huge here.
20. Yes, it'll be a time of struggle/uncertainty but stay passionate and good things'll happen.

So there you have it, folks! I'll likely be adding more and more points to this list over time. If you have any specific questions though, don't be afraid to ask me! I'd be pleased to give you more of the nitty gritty deets. The thing is, you just gotta possess the drive, persistence and determination! And beware: when you do nail the job, if you've never taught before, there'll be a steep learning curve. And that's actually more challenging than finding the job itself! In case you're wondering, the photos in this post are of recent flip chart notes I wrote during one of my Business English classes. Yay for colour!

I applied for an English teaching position in a Kindergarten in 2013 but it didnt push through as the government of that German province changed policies in prioritizing hiring Europeans instead of other nationalities. Is there a chance to be granted a visa to work in a Kindergarten now?

Sounds extremely MOTIVATING! It actually inspires me to move out in South East Asian teaching to DE. I used to teach English in Vietnam and right now I'm currently teaching back in Thailand. I've been planning to apply. Wish me luck =)Btw, I love the flip chart note pictures! Innovative and well-patterned. Danke!

hello! i'm actually planning the same thing. i am teaching now in Thailand and im looking forward of Germany next school year. i'd like to hear from you how's your plan going on. it will be my pleasure if you help me to figure out things. thank you!